Entry: Marisa Yoneyama, World Cocoa Foundation
Over the last five years, the World Cocoa Foundation (WCF) has actively developed and implemented education programs for youth and young adults in Ghana and Côte d’Ivoire through a number of public-private partners. The WCF Empowering Cocoa Households with Opportunities and Education Solutions (ECHOES) Alliance program aims to strengthen cocoa-growing communities by expanding opportunities for youth and young adults through relevant education. Through functional literacy, livelihoods training, life skills training, teacher training, and curriculum development, the WCF ECHOES Alliance is improving access to a quality and relevant education for thousands of children, youth, and young adults living in cocoa-farming communities in West Africa.
In Ghana, WCF implements ECHOES through a public-private partnership with the Ghana Cocoa Board (COCOBOD) and other partners including: U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) Africa Education Initiative, World Cocoa Foundation, Kraft Foods, Norwegian Association of Chocolate Manufacturers, The Hershey Company, Starbucks Coffee Company, Fazer Confectionery Ltd., Olam International Ltd., Hain Celestial Group SunSpire Brand, Mars Inc., Guittard Chocolate Company, Barry Callebaut, and the Jacobs Foundation.
Since 2009, WCF has also partnered with COCOBOD and other public-private partners through the Cocoa Livelihoods Program (CLP) in Ghana. The program is funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and 14 chocolate industry companies to significantly improve the livelihoods of approximately 200,000 cocoa farmers in Cameroon, Cote d’Ivoire, Ghana, Liberia and Nigeria. CLP trains farmers in better production techniques, quality improvement and business skills; helps to professionalize farmer organizations to better meet member needs; and works to improve farmer access to agricultural inputs and improved-quality seedlings. The program also improves farmer access to market information and opportunities for diversification into alternative food and cash crops to maximize income and security.
Recently, the Central Regional Cocoa Swollen Shoot Virus Unit of COCOBOD embarked on a program to replace diseased and aged cocoa trees with free hybrid seedlings. The referenced article not only indicated that farmers were given training and advice on replacing diseased trees, but also that as children will grow to become future leaders, they are entitled access to education: COCOBOD Replaces Aged Cocoa Trees.